Unlock the Key to Supporting Neurodivergent Students - Without Overwhelm
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Welcome to our yearlong series on Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers. Each week we will give you a new piece to the classroom management puzzle to have in place when you need it this school year. Think of it as a Lego kit just waiting to be built.
Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers: Unlock the Key to Supporting Neurodivergent Students—Without the Overwhelm
Today, we’re talking about something many of us are seeing more and more in our classrooms:
How do we support neurodivergent learners—without getting overwhelmed ourselves?
Now, before we dive into the strategies (yes, I’ve got plenty for you), we need to zoom out. Because if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered:
“Why does this student need constant reminders?”
“Why are they always up and moving?”
“Why can’t they just follow the routine like everyone else?”
You’re not alone. And the truth is—it’s not just about what to do. It’s about understanding why these behaviors happen in the first place. Once we understand that? Everything starts to click. Let’s get into it.
🎧 The Behavior is Not the Problem
Let’s start with a mindset shift that changed my entire approach:
The behavior is not the problem. The behavior is the clue.
Neurodivergent students (those with ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, and more) often experience and respond to the classroom differently—not because they’re trying to be disruptive or disrespectful, but because their brains are literally wired in unique ways.
If a student is constantly interrupting, that’s not about attention-seeking—it’s about attention-needing.
If a child melts down during transitions, that’s not manipulation—it’s dysregulation and fear of the unknown.
If a student refuses to start work, they may not be defiant—they might be overwhelmed and not know how to begin.
🧠 Think about it this way: These behaviors are how their brains are trying to cope in a world that’s not always designed for them. Our job isn’t to fix them. Our job is to decode what their behavior is trying to tell us.
🎧 What’s Actually Happening in the Neurodivergent Brain
Let’s unpack the brain stuff quickly but clearly, so we can teach smarter, not harder:
🔹 Executive Functioning Differences
Neurodivergent kids often struggle with:
Starting tasks
Keeping track of steps
Switching between activities
This isn’t laziness—it’s like their internal manager (executive functioning) took a long lunch break.
✅ What helps?
Break tasks into bite-sized steps
Use checklists or visual cues
Offer clear transitions and countdowns (like “In 2 minutes, we’re going to pack up”)
🔹 Sensory Processing
Imagine trying to focus while wearing an itchy sweater, next to a blaring speaker, under a strobe light. That’s how some kids experience the classroom on a daily basis.
✅ What helps?
Flexible seating
Headphones or a quiet corner
Fidget tools (yes—even the controversial ones—when introduced and structured well)
🔹 Emotional Regulation
Neurodivergent kids often feel emotions bigger and faster. The classroom feels unsafe not because of physical danger, but because of emotional overwhelm. And their nervous system reacts the same either way.
✅ What helps?
Co-regulate by staying calm yourself
Teach calming strategies proactively
Create a safe space that’s not a punishment zone but a reset button
🎧 “I’m Drowning—How Do I Help Without Losing Myself?”
This is the heart of it. Because you matter too. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your sanity to support your students.
Let’s talk about low-lift, high-impact strategies that support everyone in your class, not just neurodivergent students.
1. Create Predictable Routines (and Over-Teach Them)
Neurodivergent learners thrive with clear structure. But here’s the catch: They need more repetition than you think.
We often teach the routine once or twice and assume it’s learned. But they need it retaught, modeled, and reinforced—consistently.
🔁 Practice transitions like a drill
🎯 Use visuals or timers to anchor routines
🗣 Narrate steps aloud for the whole class—not just the one student
2. Reframe “Misbehavior” as “Stress Behavior”
Ask yourself: Is this student misbehaving… or are they having a hard time?
When we approach kids with curiosity instead of control, we find real solutions.
Instead of “He’s always out of his seat,” try:
“What’s he getting from moving? Can I build that into his day proactively?”
Instead of “She won’t start her work,” try:
“Is the task too open-ended? Too long? Too unfamiliar?”
This reframing brings us back to problem-solving instead of punishment—and it lowers everyone’s stress, including yours.
3. Introduce Tools, Not Toys
Let’s talk calm-down corners and fidgets for a sec. I know you’re seeing the same thing I’m seeing:
➡️ You create a quiet space... and suddenly half the class wants a break
➡️ You introduce a fidget… and now it’s a popularity contest
So here’s the shift: We teach these tools with structure, not secrecy.
✅ Introduce the calm-down area like a center. Model how to use it, when to use it, and how to return.
✅ Give every student a chance to practice, not just the ones who struggle.
✅ Set clear limits: “You can take a 2-minute break, and I’ll give you a thumbs-up when it’s time to return.”
✨ Pro tip: I use “Reset Passes” with timers so students can request a break responsibly. That small piece of structure keeps the system from becoming chaos.
🎧 You Don’t Have to Be Perfect—Just Present
Here’s the reminder we all need:
🌱 You’re not failing because you’re tired.
🌱 You’re not falling behind because the strategies aren’t sticking yet.
🌱 You’re a teacher in a classroom full of tiny humans, many of whom are still figuring out how to exist in their own brains.
And you? You’re doing better than you think.
The magic isn’t in having a color-coded binder of neurodivergent strategies.
The magic is in noticing, listening, and tweaking.
Just like we scaffold for students, we can scaffold for ourselves, too.
Try one new strategy this week.
One shift in language.
One deeper “why” behind a behavior.
Start there. That’s the work.
🎧 Let’s Keep This Conversation Going
If this episode resonated with you, come find me on Instagram @classroommanagementforprimary and let me know what stuck with you the most.
And if you’re feeling alone in this work—you’re not. We’re figuring it out together, in the messy middle, one reset, one reframe, one relationship at a time.
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DID YOU KNOW…
Did you know I organize a FREE Facebook Group for Mastering Classroom Management? We are gearing up for our school year quarter sessions, so if you’re looking for a simple way to improve your classroom management join the already 200+ teachers that have signed up: Mastering Classroom Management Facebook Group
Your ebook GIFT: Empowering Primary Teachers: Effectively Manage Disruptive and Violent Behaviors in the Classroom
FINALLY…
If you enjoyed the tips in this post, you might also enjoy this series of videos Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers:
Expanding AI's Role in the Primary Classroom
Unlock the Power of AI in the Primary Classroom
Supporting a Student Being Bullied
What to do With a Bully in the Primary Classroom
The Science of Movement in the Classroom
10 Ways to Use Movement for Better Classroom Behavior
Why Incorporating Movement Into the School Day Improves Classroom Management
Don’t forget to follow us over on Instagram!
Teach~Relax~Repeat
Lauren
